Update on the Grassroots Support Initiative

One of the things the NEAR Foundation has always been most proud of is the passion and enthusiasm of our builders and grassroots projects — something we have seen demonstrated again since the recent post about the NDC. Over the past week alone, over 30 projects have reached out to the Ecosystem Team and a number of conversations are already underway. This has allowed NEAR Foundation to begin mapping out current needs, and understand the best way to provide support that will ensure the NEAR ecosystem remains a vibrant, open, and accessible place to build. 

For us at the Foundation, hearing directly from builders provides invaluable insight into the state of the ecosystem and how we can best continue to support the people and projects that make it what it is. What we have heard so far is that while financial support is important as the NDC fully ramps up, every project has a unique set of needs that requires a holistic approach to provide the right support, and that simply re-starting a grants program is not the right solution. To make sure that we get as many perspectives from across the ecosystem, we will be leaving the form open for one more week (until September 4th) to give anyone who needs support a chance to have their voice heard.

Once the form is closed and we have had a chance to review all of the inputs, we will then begin setting out a broader plan — in alignment with the NDC — to ensure projects get the support they need as we continue moving forward on the path to decentralization. The moment we have the full insights from these conversations, which should be within the next few weeks, we will share them in a follow-up blog post along with a clear plan on how we will be moving forward. 

We are excited to have so much interest from builders, and look forward to creating a plan that can help keep grassroots projects engaged and building.

You can sign up for a time to speak with the Ecosystem Relations Team here.